USA Indoor Hockey Continues Pan Am Cup Preparations in Toronto

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – March 11, 2014 – Last year, USA Field Hockey and Field Hockey Canada agreed to rekindle an Indoor Hockey relationship by hosting an annual reciprocal test series. In August of 2013, the USA women hosted the Canadian women at the Sportsplex in Feasterville, Pa. in what was the first of what will hopefully prove to be a long standing tradition of test matches. This weekend, both the men and women will venture to Toronto, Canada to compete in the second CanAm Indoor test series. The U.S. Indoor program plans to continue the renewed tradition by hosting Canada again in 2015.

"This test series will be used as the final selection process before the Pan Am Indoor Cup teams are named,” said U.S. Indoor Program Manager Nigel Traverso. “Both squads have participated in various Domestic and International competitions over the past few months, as they have their eyes on the big picture which is to win the Pan Am Cup in April and qualify for the 4th FIH Indoor World Cup that will be held in Leipzig, Germany, next February. I wish both teams best of luck!"

This is the final step in selections for Men’s Coach Andrew Thornton and Women’s Coach Denise Zelenak for the squads that will compete in the Pan Am Indoor Cup in Montevideo, April 2014. Countries participating in the Pan Am Cup are Argentina, Canada, Guyana (Men only), Uruguay and the United States. The event is the qualifier for the next Indoor World Cup to be held in Leipzig, Germany in February 2015.

“We are looking forward to a swift weekend of highly competitive and tactical hockey competition,” said squad veteran and tour co-captain Rachael Milne. “In the short-term, we are very excited to test ourselves in preparation for Pan Ams. In the long-term, we are excited to be a part of building this relationship with Canada for all that it can offer both the country's men's, women's and youth programs. This is what it's all about-the training, the travel, the relationships, the ups and downs of match play, getting to know your competition on and off the court and all of the stories that happen in between.”